Livestock farming is a critical pillar of Tajikistan’s national economy and livelihood security.However,significant economic challenges in the country have led to the degradation of grassland ecosystems.This degradat...Livestock farming is a critical pillar of Tajikistan’s national economy and livelihood security.However,significant economic challenges in the country have led to the degradation of grassland ecosystems.This degradation has not only reduced the productivity of grassland ecosystems but also severely impacted their ecological functions.A particularly concerning consequence is the threat to biodiversity,as the survival and persistence of endemic,rare,and endangered plant species are at serious risk,thereby diminishing the value of species’genetic resources.Based on the data from multiple sources such as literature reviews,field observations,and national statistics,this study employed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to investigate the current status,causes of degradation,and restoration measures for grassland ecosystems in Tajikistan.The results revealed that Tajikistan’s grassland ecosystems support exceptionally high plant species diversity,comprising over 4500 vascular plant species,including nearly 1500 endemic and sub-endemic taxa that constitute a unique genetic reservoir.These ecosystems are experiencing severe degradation,characterized by significantly reduced vegetation cover and declining species richness.Palatable forage species are increasingly being displaced by unpalatable,thorny,and poisonous species.The primary drivers of degradation include excessive grazing pressure,which disrupts plant reproductive cycles and regeneration capacity,habitat fragmentation due to urbanization and infrastructure development,and uncontrolled exploitation of medicinal and edible plants.Climate change,particularly rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns,further exacerbates these anthropogenic pressures.Ecological restoration experiments suggested that both ecosystem productivity and plant species diversity are significantly enhanced by systematic reseeding trials using altitude-adapted native species.These findings underscore the necessity of establishing scientifically grounded approaches for ecological restoration.展开更多
Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient element that is critical for plant growth and ecosystem functionality.The soil P cycle plays multiple roles,such as sustaining plant growth and productivity,regulating nutrient ...Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient element that is critical for plant growth and ecosystem functionality.The soil P cycle plays multiple roles,such as sustaining plant growth and productivity,regulating nutrient balance within ecosystems,and enhancing ecosystem adaptability and resilience.This cycle is influenced by factors such as the restoration approach and microbial community dynamics.However,the extent to which the restoration approach alters the P cycle in karst ecosystems and the underlying microbial mechanisms remain poorly understood.The P-cycle multifunctionality index (P-cycle MFI) serves as a comprehensive indicator for evaluating soil P cycle function,and it provides insights into changes in the P cycle between different restoration approaches.To investigate the shifts in soil P-cycle MFI and microbial mechanisms between different restoration approaches,we analyzed soil available P (AP),total P (TP),microbial biomass P (MBP),and the activities of acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).These data were used to calculate the P-cycle MFI by averaging the Z-scores between two restoration approaches(artificial restoration of forest (AF) and natural restoration of forest (NF)) and a control (cropland,CP) at six subtropical karst ecosystem sites in China.We also determined the soil organic carbon (SOC),exchangeable calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg),pH,bulk density (BD),microbial biomass C (MBC),and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN),as well as the community structure,relative abundance,diversity indices,and co-occurrence networks of phoD-harboring bacteria.The results showed that the community structure of phoD-harboring bacteria varied significantly among AF,NF,and CP and across different temperature gradients.These bacteria exhibited increasing complexity and tightness in co-occurrence networks from CP to AF and then to NF,along with the ACP and ALP activities,but not the TP and AP contents.The P-cycle MFI values were significantly higher in NF compared to AF and CP,and the variation was significantly explained by restoration approach,temperature,MBC,MBN,SOC,exchangeable Ca,BD,community structure of phoD-harboring bacteria,and exchangeable Mg.Furthermore,natural restoration had a more substantial impact on the P-cycle MFI than temperature by enhancing SOC,microbial biomass,the complexity and co-occurrence network tightness of the phoD-harboring bacterial community structure,and ACP and ALP activities,but it reduced soil BD.The rare genera of phoD-harboring bacteria significantly influenced the variation of soil P-cycle MFI compared to the dominant genera.This study highlights the importance of rare genera of phoD-harboring bacteria in driving soil P-cycle multifunctionality in karst ecosystems,with natural restoration being more effective than artificial methods for enhancing soil organic matter and microbial community complexity.展开更多
Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is the most common form of dementia,affecting over 50 million people worldwide.This figure is projected to nearly double every 20 years,reaching 82 million by 2030 and 152 million by 2050(Alzhe...Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is the most common form of dementia,affecting over 50 million people worldwide.This figure is projected to nearly double every 20 years,reaching 82 million by 2030 and 152 million by 2050(Alzheimer’s Disease International).The apolipoproteinε4(APOE4)allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD(after age 65 years).Apolipoprotein E,a lipid transporter,exists in three variants:ε2,ε3,andε4.APOEε2(APOE2)is protective against AD,APOEε3(APOE3)is neutral,while APOE4 significantly increases the risk.Individuals with one copy of APOE4 have a 4-fold greater risk of developing AD,and those with two copies face an 8-fold risk compared to non-carriers.Even in cognitively normal individuals,APOE4 carriers exhibit brain metabolic and vascular deficits decades before amyloid-beta(Aβ)plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles emerge-the hallmark pathologies of AD(Reiman et al.,2001,2005;Thambisetty et al.,2010).Notably,studies have demonstrated reduced glucose uptake,or hypometabolism,in brain regions vulnerable to AD in asymptomatic middle-aged APOE4 carriers,long before clinical symptoms arise(Reiman et al.,2001,2005).展开更多
The aging process is an inexorable fact throughout our lives and is considered a major factor in develo ping neurological dysfunctions associated with cognitive,emotional,and motor impairments.Aging-associated neurode...The aging process is an inexorable fact throughout our lives and is considered a major factor in develo ping neurological dysfunctions associated with cognitive,emotional,and motor impairments.Aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive loss of neuronal structure and function.展开更多
Objective:To explore the application effect of digital intraoral scanning impression technique in oral implant restoration for periodontitis patients and analyze its impact on patients’Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score...Objective:To explore the application effect of digital intraoral scanning impression technique in oral implant restoration for periodontitis patients and analyze its impact on patients’Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)scores.Methods:A total of 80 periodontitis patients who received implant restoration in our hospital from May 2023 to May 2025 were selected as research subjects.They were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using a random number table method,with 40 cases in each group.The observation group used the digital intraoral scanning impression technique to obtain impressions,while the control group used the traditional silicone rubber impression technique.The impression-taking time,the number of prostheses try-ins,implant survival rate,periodontal health indicators(probing depth,gingival index,bleeding index),and VAS scores(pain during treatment and comfort after restoration)were compared between the two groups.Results:The observation group was superior to the control group in terms of impression-taking time,the number of prostheses try-ins,and implant survival rate(p<0.05).Six months after restoration,the improvement in periodontal health indicators in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group(p<0.05).In addition,the pain VAS score of the observation group during treatment was lower than that of the control group,and the comfort VAS score after restoration was higher than that of the control group(p<0.05).Conclusion:Digital intraoral scanning impression technology can effectively enhance the efficiency and success rate of implant restoration in periodontitis patients,improve periodontal health,alleviate patients’discomfort during treatment,and increase post-restoration comfort,demonstrating high clinical application value.展开更多
Eco-geological vulnerability assessment is a significant research topic within the field of eco-geology,but it remains poorly studied.The Mu Us Sandy Land,located in the central part of the farming-pastoral ecotone in...Eco-geological vulnerability assessment is a significant research topic within the field of eco-geology,but it remains poorly studied.The Mu Us Sandy Land,located in the central part of the farming-pastoral ecotone in northern China,plays a critical role in maintaining the ecological security pattern in this region.However,this sandy land also faces severe sandy desertification and ecological degradation.This study conducted a regional eco-geological vulnerability assessment of the Mu Us Sandy Land using a comprehensive index evaluation method based on eco-geological theories and survey results.To construct an appropriate index system for the eco-geological vulnerability assessment of the Mu Us Sandy Land,the study considered the sandy land’s unique characteristics and identified 15 factors of five categories,namely geology,meteorology,soil,topography,and vegetation.The paper calculated the comprehensive weights of all the indices using the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)and the entropy weight method(EWM).Furthermore,it established the eco-geological vulnerability index(EGVI)and obtained the assessment results.The results showed that the eco-geological vulnerability of the Mu Us Sandy Land gradually intensifies from east to west,manifested as vulnerable eco-geological conditions overall.Specifically,extremely vulnerable zones are found in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the study area,highly vulnerable zones in the western and southern parts,moderately vulnerable zones in the central part,and slightly and potentially vulnerable zones in the eastern and southern parts.Areas with high spatial autocorrelations include the northern Uxin Banner-Otog Banner-Angsu Town area,the surrounding areas of Hongdunjie Town in the southeastern part of the study area,the Hongshiqiao Township-Xiaohaotu Township area,Otog Front Banner,and Bainijing Town,which should be prioritized in the ecological conservation and restoration.Additionally,the paper proposed suggestions for the ecological conservation and restoration of county-level administrative areas in the study area.Overall,the findings provide a valuable reference for the ecological conservation and restoration of the Mu Us Sandy Land and other desert areas in arid and semi-arid regions.展开更多
Bangladesh is a deltaic country with a 710 km coastline and numerous newly accreted offshore islands in the central and eastern coastal regions. Natural mangrove forest (the Sundarbans) occupies about 100 km of coastl...Bangladesh is a deltaic country with a 710 km coastline and numerous newly accreted offshore islands in the central and eastern coastal regions. Natural mangrove forest (the Sundarbans) occupies about 100 km of coastline in the southwest, which protects the lives and properties of the coastal population of that area. The depletion of the forest stock of the Sundarbans was reported in 1875 due to the large-scale clearings by the woodcutters and uncertainty in natural regeneration. The restoration of the Sundarbans in the name of enrichment plantation and assisted natural regeneration was formally introduced in 1959 with Excoecaria agallocha followed by the introduction of mangrove and mainland (non-mangrove) species in the moderate to high saline zone and raised lands in the freshwater zone, respectively in 1975. Chakaria Sundarbans, the second largest natural mangrove forest on the east coast, was highly degraded with the rapid expansion of aquaculture between 1976 and 1989. Tremendous human interferences significantly altered the site condition, interrupting natural recovery. Coastal afforestation was initiated in 1966 with two pioneer mangrove species (Sonneratia apetala and Avicennia officinalis). Some afforested sites require attention for restoration due to natural and manmade causes. Bangladesh Forest Department adopted restoration activities with the technical support of the Bangladesh Forest Research Institute and other agencies. However, all the restoration activities for the Sundarbans, Chakaria Sundarbans, and coastal afforested sites had some success and failure stories. The success and failure of a mangrove restoration activity depends on planning (active or passive restoration), selection of suitable sites and species, planting materials, local community involvement, monitoring, evaluation and plantation management.展开更多
Ecological restorations(ERs)have been widely implemented in recent decades to enhance ecosystem stability.However,the extent of their impacts on ecosystem stability and the underlying mechanism remain poorly understoo...Ecological restorations(ERs)have been widely implemented in recent decades to enhance ecosystem stability.However,the extent of their impacts on ecosystem stability and the underlying mechanism remain poorly understood.This study developed a comprehensive framework for ecosystem stability assessment by integrating the temporal stability of ecosystem service(ES)provision,ecological resistance,and ecological resilience.Additionally,ER intensity was quantified using vegetation index trends,while the pathways and magnitudes of key factors driving ecosystem stability were identified by partial least squares structural equation modeling.Using the Jialing River Basin as a case study,our results revealed that forests exhibited the highest ecosystem stability due to their enhanced capacity to maintain temporal stability of ES provision and ecological resilience.However,farmlands demonstrated the strongest ecological resistance,followed by forests and grasslands.ER projects were primarily implemented in northern and southern farmland regions characterized by low ecological resilience.Pathway analysis identified that favorable climates significantly enhanced the temporal stability of ES provision,and rugged topography improved the ecological resistance.However,fragmented landscape patches disrupted stable ES provision by reducing ecological connectivity,and socioeconomic development diminished both resistance and resilience through land-use intensification.Notably,ERs improved ecological resilience,which in turn elevated overall ecosystem stability.Our results indicated that the proposed framework provides a systematic approach for comprehensive ecosystem stability evaluation and offers critical insights for developing region-specific ER strategies.展开更多
Facial recognition systems have become increasingly significant in public security efforts. They play a crucial role in apprehending criminals and locating missing children and elderly individuals. Nevertheless, in pr...Facial recognition systems have become increasingly significant in public security efforts. They play a crucial role in apprehending criminals and locating missing children and elderly individuals. Nevertheless, in practical applications, around 30% to 50% of images are obstructed to varied extents, for as by the presence of masks, glasses, or hats. Repairing the masked facial images will enhance face recognition accuracy by 10% to 20%. Simultaneously, market research indicates a rising demand for efficient facial recognition technology within the security and surveillance sectors, with projections suggesting that the global facial recognition market would exceed US$3 billion by 2025. Therefore, finding a prompt and efficient solution to fix the masked face and enhance its accuracy has become a pressing issue that has to be resolved. Currently, the generative adversarial network has shown excellent performance in the field of image restoration, with high precision and good quality of restoration results, but it consumes a lot of computing resources. Based on this, this paper proposes a model architecture that uses the U-Net network to replace the generator in the generative adversarial network, and replaces all traditional convolutional layers with Depthwise Separable Convolutional (DWSC) to make the entire network lightweight. Ultimately, We utilise the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) value to assess the efficacy of the developed model. We select samples with occlusion levels ranging from 10%–15% and 20%–30%, yielding PSNR values of 35.51 and 30.33, respectively. In contrast, the PSNR values of the three predominant algorithms in image restoration—PM, ShiftNet, and PICNet—are all below 30, demonstrating the superiority of the model presented in this paper. However, the model presented in this work possesses certain drawbacks. This work employs solely black rectangles to replicate real-life occlusions. Future study should utilise tangible objects, like as sunglasses and masks, to directly imitate occlusions, so enhancing the accuracy of the restoration effect. The model presented in this study can be further expanded from image restoration to video restoration to investigate the potential for dynamic occlusion repair.展开更多
This study focuses on urgent research on restoring and enhancing carbon storage capacity in the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomer-ation of China,a key area in the‘Belt and Road’Initiative,which aligns with carbon peaking an...This study focuses on urgent research on restoring and enhancing carbon storage capacity in the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomer-ation of China,a key area in the‘Belt and Road’Initiative,which aligns with carbon peaking and neutrality goals.This research ana-lyzes the spatial characteristics of carbon metabolism from 2000 to 2020 and uses models to identify stable carbon sink areas,positive carbon flow corridors,and carbon sequestration nodes.The goal is to construct a carbon metabolism spatial security pattern(CMSSP)and propose territorial ecological restoration strategies under different development demand scenarios.The results show the following:1)in 2020,the study area’s carbon sink decreased by 8.29×10^(4) t C/yr compared with that in 2010 and by 10.83×10^(4) t C/yr compared with that in 2000.High-carbon sinks were found mainly in mountainous areas,whereas low-carbon sinks are concentrated in urban con-struction land,rural residential areas,and land margins.2)From 2000 to 2020,the spatial security pattern of carbon metabolism tended to be‘high in the middle of the east and west and low in the gulf.’In 2000,2010,and 2020,16 stable carbon sinks were identified.The carbon energy flow density in Guangxi was greater than that in Guangdong and Hainan,with positive carbon flow corridors located primarily in Guangxi and Guangdong.The number of carbon sequestration nodes remained stable at approximately 15,mainly in Guangxi and Hainan.3)Scenario simulations revealed that under the Nature-based mild restoration scenario,the carbon sink rate will reach 611.85×10^(4) t C/yr by 2030 and increase to 612.45×10^(4) t C/yr by 2060,with stable carbon sinks increasing to 18.In the restora-tion scenario based on Anti-globalization,the carbon sink will decrease from 610.24×10^(4) t C/yr in 2030 to 605.19×10^(4) t C/yr in 2060,with the disappearance of some positive carbon flow corridors and stable carbon sinks.Under the Human-based sustainable restoration scenario,the carbon sink area will decrease from 607.00×10^(4) t C/yr in 2030 to 596.39×10^(4) t C/yr in 2060,with carbon sink areas frag-menting and positive carbon flow corridors becoming less dense.4)On the basis of the current and predicted CMSSPs,this study ex-plores spatial ecological restoration strategies for high-carbon storage areas in bay urban agglomerations at four levels:the land control region,urban agglomeration structure system,carbon sink structure and bay structure control region.展开更多
The metabolite lactate (L-lactate) can be generated and released by diverse brain cells,including neurons,astrocytes,and oligodendrocytes (Kann,2023;Rae et al.,2024).Lactate production usually requires the degradation...The metabolite lactate (L-lactate) can be generated and released by diverse brain cells,including neurons,astrocytes,and oligodendrocytes (Kann,2023;Rae et al.,2024).Lactate production usually requires the degradation of glucose (D-glucose)-and glycogen in astrocytes-to pyruvate by glycolysis and subsequent conversion of pyruvate to lactate by the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase(Figure 1A;Dienel,2019;Rae et al.,2024).展开更多
Spinal cord injury results in paralysis, sensory disturbances, sphincter dysfunction, and multiple systemic secondary conditions, most arising from autonomic dysregulation. All this produces profound negative psychoso...Spinal cord injury results in paralysis, sensory disturbances, sphincter dysfunction, and multiple systemic secondary conditions, most arising from autonomic dysregulation. All this produces profound negative psychosocial implications for affected people, their families, and their communities;the financial costs can be challenging for their families and health institutions. Treatments aimed at restoring the spinal cord after spinal cord injury, which have been tested in animal models or clinical trials, generally seek to counteract one or more of the secondary mechanisms of injury to limit the extent of the initial damage. Most published works on structural/functional restoration in acute and chronic spinal cord injury stages use a single type of treatment: a drug or trophic factor, transplant of a cell type, and implantation of a biomaterial. Despite the significant benefits reported in animal models, when translating these successful therapeutic strategies to humans, the result in clinical trials has been considered of little relevance because the improvement, when present, is usually insufficient. Until now, most studies designed to promote neuroprotection or regeneration at different stages after spinal cord injury have used single treatments. Considering the occurrence of various secondary mechanisms of injury in the acute and sub-acute phases of spinal cord injury, it is reasonable to speculate that more than one therapeutic agent could be required to promote structural and functional restoration of the damaged spinal cord. Treatments that combine several therapeutic agents, targeting different mechanisms of injury, which, when used as a single therapy, have shown some benefits, allow us to assume that they will have synergistic beneficial effects. Thus, this narrative review article aims to summarize current trends in the use of strategies that combine therapeutic agents administered simultaneously or sequentially, seeking structural and functional restoration of the injured spinal cord.展开更多
To scientifically evaluate the restoration performance of ancient city walls,Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy(THz-TDS)and infrared thermal imaging technology were applied to assess the Desheng Fortress(Ming Dynasty)...To scientifically evaluate the restoration performance of ancient city walls,Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy(THz-TDS)and infrared thermal imaging technology were applied to assess the Desheng Fortress(Ming Dynasty).Three representative sections were examined:adobe brick masonry repaired(Area 1),well-preserved original(Area 2),and layer-by-layer ramming repaired(Area 3).THz spectral data revealed significant differences between Area 1(time delay:3.72 ps;refractive index:2.224)and Area 2(time delay:3.02 ps;refractive index:2.107),while Area 3(time delay:3.12 ps;refractive index:2.098)demonstrated nearly identical THz spectral data to Area 2.Infrared thermal imaging also showed that the Area 3 restored by layer-by-layer ramming exhibited greater uniformity with fewer instances of cracks,capillary phenomena,or biological diseases.The proposed point-surface integrated evaluation methodology synergistically combines infrared thermography mapping of heritage surfaces with THz spectral datasets acquired through in-situ micro-sampling,enabling quantitative restoration assessment and providing a novel approach for scientifically validating traditional conservation techniques.展开更多
Restoring texts corrupted by visually perturbed homoglyph characters presents significant challenges to conventional Natural Language Processing(NLP)systems,primarily due to ambiguities arising from characters that ap...Restoring texts corrupted by visually perturbed homoglyph characters presents significant challenges to conventional Natural Language Processing(NLP)systems,primarily due to ambiguities arising from characters that appear visually similar yet differ semantically.Traditional text restoration methods struggle with these homoglyph perturbations due to limitations such as a lack of contextual understanding and difficulty in handling cases where one character maps to multiple candidates.To address these issues,we propose an Optical Character Recognition(OCR)-assisted masked Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers(BERT)model specifically designed for homoglyph-perturbed text restoration.Our method integrates OCR preprocessing with a character-level BERT architecture,where OCR preprocessing transforms visually perturbed characters into their approximate alphabetic equivalents,significantly reducing multi-correspondence ambiguities.Subsequently,the character-level BERT leverages bidirectional contextual information to accurately resolve remaining ambiguities by predicting intended characters based on surrounding semantic cues.Extensive experiments conducted on realistic phishing email datasets demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms existing restoration techniques,including OCR-based,dictionarybased,and traditional BERT-based approaches,achieving a word-level restoration accuracy of up to 99.59%in fine-tuned settings.Additionally,our approach exhibits robust performance in zero-shot scenarios and maintains effectiveness under low-resource conditions.Further evaluations across multiple downstream tasks,such as part-ofspeech tagging,chunking,toxic comment classification,and homoglyph detection under conditions of severe visual perturbation(up to 40%),confirm the method’s generalizability and applicability.Our proposed hybrid approach,combining OCR preprocessing with character-level contextual modeling,represents a scalable and practical solution for mitigating visually adversarial text attacks,thereby enhancing the security and reliability of NLP systems in real-world applications.展开更多
There is evidence that the development of plant communities determines the composition and structure of the orthoptera assemblages. This is the reason for using the orthoptera biodiversity as an indicator of environme...There is evidence that the development of plant communities determines the composition and structure of the orthoptera assemblages. This is the reason for using the orthoptera biodiversity as an indicator of environmental recovery processes in revegetated areas. This research is a part of the monitoring actions included in the Breña’s Compensation Project, linked to the construction of the Breña II damp. It is aimed to assess the biodiversity of the Orthopteran assemblages settled in the restored river copses after nine years following (2007-2016). The results will be interpreted as an indirect measure of the success of the environmental improvement performed. In 2016, two forest farms named “Las Mesas” and “Cerro del Trigo” located in the Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park (Córdoba, Southern Iberian Peninsula) were selected for monitoring. These sampling sites were also selected in a previous following phase, which makes comparisons easier and more reliable. At each of these sampling sites, two revegetated enclosures corresponding to the environmental model “restored river copses” and their respective control areas were selected for the study. From the values of the specimen’s number recorded in each sampling plot, the same population indices that in the previous phase (Richness, Abundance, Dominance, Shannon Diversity, and Evenness) were calculated. The diversity profiles using Rényi’s family of uni-parametric diversity indices were also obtained. Differences in the indices were statistically tested by resampling bootstrapping for inferential statistics. Based on our results, the environmental differences between revegetated and control areas have not led to significant changes in the composition and structure of the orthopteran communities they host. In consequence, the environmental restoration carried out in the study area has not been as successful as could be expected and the previous environmental alterations have not been minimized nor have those derived from the environmental rehabilitation itself been compensated.展开更多
Vision restoration presents a considerable challenge in the realm of regenerative medicine,while recent progress in ultrasound stimulation has displayed potential as a non-invasive therapeutic approach.This narrative ...Vision restoration presents a considerable challenge in the realm of regenerative medicine,while recent progress in ultrasound stimulation has displayed potential as a non-invasive therapeutic approach.This narrative review offers a comprehensive overview of current research on ultrasound-stimulated neuromodulation,emphasizing its potential as a treatment modality for various nerve injuries.By examining of the efficacy of different types of ultrasound stimulation in modulating peripheral and optic nerves,we can delve into their underlying molecular mechanisms.Furthermore,the review underscores the potential of sonogenetics in vision restoration,which involves leveraging pharmacological and genetic manipulations to inhibit or enhance the expression of related mechanosensitive channels,thereby modulating the strength of the ultrasound response.We also address how methods such as viral transcription can be utilized to render specific neurons or organs highly responsive to ultrasound,leading to significantly improved therapeutic outcomes.展开更多
As interest in tropical forest restoration accelerates,understanding its hydrological implications is increasingly urgent.While concerns persist that reforestation will reduce annual water yields—particularly in drie...As interest in tropical forest restoration accelerates,understanding its hydrological implications is increasingly urgent.While concerns persist that reforestation will reduce annual water yields—particularly in drier climates—we highlight conditions under which forest landscape restoration(FLR)can improve seasonal water availability,especially during the dry season.We examine the trade-off between increased vegetation water use(“pumping”)and enhanced infiltration and subsurface retention(“sponging”)following forestation of degraded lands,the recovery of vegetation's ability to capture“occult”precipitation(fog)in specific coastal and montane settings,and the role of forest cover in enhancing moisture recycling and transport at multiple scales.A pan-tropical sensitivity analysis shows that in degraded landscapes with deep soils and pronounced rainfall seasonality,infiltration gains following forestation can offset or exceed evaporative losses,thereby supporting groundwater recharge and increasing dry-season flows in approximately 10%of cases,with an additional 8%showing near-neutral(slightly negative)outcomes.These findings challenge the assumption that forestation uniformly reduces water availability and underscore the need to prioritize dry-season flow recovery—rather than annual water yield—as a central hydrological goal of FLR.We call for trans-disciplinary research and long-term monitoring to inform forest restoration strategies,particularly in seasonally dry regions where water scarcity is most acute.展开更多
Although Vegetation Restoration Programs(VRPs)on the Loess Plateau,China,have significantly improved the region’s ecological condition,their impact on the local economy and agriculture remain unclear.Here we used the...Although Vegetation Restoration Programs(VRPs)on the Loess Plateau,China,have significantly improved the region’s ecological condition,their impact on the local economy and agriculture remain unclear.Here we used the difference-in-differences analysis to quantify the effects of the VRPs on population,economic,and agricultural aspects.Results suggest that the implementation of the VRPs increased mean county-based Gross Domestic Product by 148%and per capita grain production by 30%,but decreased rural labor resources by 11%.VRPs promoted the transfer of population to the secondary industry and increased the income of local farmers.We predict that grain production will likely start to decline when the restoration area exceeds approximately 55%of the total county area in the future.Our study suggests that while VRPs on the Loess Plateau are economically sustainable,their expansion beyond a certain threshold could jeopardize agriculture.展开更多
We tested the effectiveness of the gradual removal of Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.)in former plantations of this species in Roztocze National Park(SE Poland)to support the restoration of natural herbaceous flora and...We tested the effectiveness of the gradual removal of Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.)in former plantations of this species in Roztocze National Park(SE Poland)to support the restoration of natural herbaceous flora and forest structure.We compared 0.5-ha study plots subjected to selective removal of pine trees with control plots excluded from any kind of human intervention for half a century.The observed changes in forest floor vegetation in the converted plots showed naturalization towards habitat-specific species.However,differences in the spatial distribution of trees between the treatment and control plots showed no universal pattern and revealed subtle but positive shifts from regular to random or clustered patterns.The mean tree diameters were higher in plots subjected to Scots pine removal,which resulted from the vigorous growth of tree species,consistent with habitat types.We conclude that forest restoration through the removal of planted trees can support the naturalization of former Scots pine plantations in protected areas.However,the selection of an appropriate method and its intensity are of vital importance.Methods that resemble typical management practices,such as selection thinning,are not always the best approach,as they may preserve or even increase the regular distribution of trees.Therefore,for restoration purposes,we recommend testing other methods that increase spatial heterogeneity,including systematic cutting or emulating natural disturbances.In addition,low-intensity thinning may not be sufficient to support the restoration of natural forest floor vegetation and the variability in forest stand structure.展开更多
China has executed large-scale ecological restoration projects(ERPs)to meet the goals of environmental pro-tection and economic development.Yet,the integrated outcomes of these projects on the biodiversity-eco-environ...China has executed large-scale ecological restoration projects(ERPs)to meet the goals of environmental pro-tection and economic development.Yet,the integrated outcomes of these projects on the biodiversity-eco-environment-society dimensions remain unclear,but when available could be insightful for adaptation and ad-justments,particularly in this United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration(2021-2030).Based on multi-source data,we identified the categories and quantities of large-scale ERP implementation in the county-level.By comparing the time-series multiple factors of implemented vs unimplemented counties,we quantify the con-tributions and compare the relative effects of up to six different ERPs.Combining random forest,spatial autocor-relation,and network analysis,we explore the key factors that affect the contributions of ERPs.Here,we show that the triple dimensions in the low ERP group(regions implementing 0-2 projects)produced better outcomes than the high ERP group(regions implementing 3-5 projects)in relatively developed regions,while the high ERP group has more gains than the low ERP group in relatively less-developed regions.Notably,regional character-istics and different social assets mediate the ERP contributions,while human capital and financial capital have important roles.Overall,the ERPs generated positive contributions and could increase the network stability of multi-dimensions in relatively less-developed regions,but it may lead to imbalances in some factors(i.e.,mam-mal species conservation,and human capital).To continue to minimize the negative effects from past,and to improve the returns of ERP policy and investments,more timely and adaptive management of ERPs are needed,especially in relatively less-developed regions.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2025YFE0103800,2023YFE0102600,2024YFE0214200).
文摘Livestock farming is a critical pillar of Tajikistan’s national economy and livelihood security.However,significant economic challenges in the country have led to the degradation of grassland ecosystems.This degradation has not only reduced the productivity of grassland ecosystems but also severely impacted their ecological functions.A particularly concerning consequence is the threat to biodiversity,as the survival and persistence of endemic,rare,and endangered plant species are at serious risk,thereby diminishing the value of species’genetic resources.Based on the data from multiple sources such as literature reviews,field observations,and national statistics,this study employed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to investigate the current status,causes of degradation,and restoration measures for grassland ecosystems in Tajikistan.The results revealed that Tajikistan’s grassland ecosystems support exceptionally high plant species diversity,comprising over 4500 vascular plant species,including nearly 1500 endemic and sub-endemic taxa that constitute a unique genetic reservoir.These ecosystems are experiencing severe degradation,characterized by significantly reduced vegetation cover and declining species richness.Palatable forage species are increasingly being displaced by unpalatable,thorny,and poisonous species.The primary drivers of degradation include excessive grazing pressure,which disrupts plant reproductive cycles and regeneration capacity,habitat fragmentation due to urbanization and infrastructure development,and uncontrolled exploitation of medicinal and edible plants.Climate change,particularly rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns,further exacerbates these anthropogenic pressures.Ecological restoration experiments suggested that both ecosystem productivity and plant species diversity are significantly enhanced by systematic reseeding trials using altitude-adapted native species.These findings underscore the necessity of establishing scientifically grounded approaches for ecological restoration.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFF1300705)the Key Research and Development Project of Guangxi,China (Guike AB24010051)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42261011,32271730 and U20A2011)the Central Public Welfare Research Institutes,Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (2023020)。
文摘Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient element that is critical for plant growth and ecosystem functionality.The soil P cycle plays multiple roles,such as sustaining plant growth and productivity,regulating nutrient balance within ecosystems,and enhancing ecosystem adaptability and resilience.This cycle is influenced by factors such as the restoration approach and microbial community dynamics.However,the extent to which the restoration approach alters the P cycle in karst ecosystems and the underlying microbial mechanisms remain poorly understood.The P-cycle multifunctionality index (P-cycle MFI) serves as a comprehensive indicator for evaluating soil P cycle function,and it provides insights into changes in the P cycle between different restoration approaches.To investigate the shifts in soil P-cycle MFI and microbial mechanisms between different restoration approaches,we analyzed soil available P (AP),total P (TP),microbial biomass P (MBP),and the activities of acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).These data were used to calculate the P-cycle MFI by averaging the Z-scores between two restoration approaches(artificial restoration of forest (AF) and natural restoration of forest (NF)) and a control (cropland,CP) at six subtropical karst ecosystem sites in China.We also determined the soil organic carbon (SOC),exchangeable calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg),pH,bulk density (BD),microbial biomass C (MBC),and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN),as well as the community structure,relative abundance,diversity indices,and co-occurrence networks of phoD-harboring bacteria.The results showed that the community structure of phoD-harboring bacteria varied significantly among AF,NF,and CP and across different temperature gradients.These bacteria exhibited increasing complexity and tightness in co-occurrence networks from CP to AF and then to NF,along with the ACP and ALP activities,but not the TP and AP contents.The P-cycle MFI values were significantly higher in NF compared to AF and CP,and the variation was significantly explained by restoration approach,temperature,MBC,MBN,SOC,exchangeable Ca,BD,community structure of phoD-harboring bacteria,and exchangeable Mg.Furthermore,natural restoration had a more substantial impact on the P-cycle MFI than temperature by enhancing SOC,microbial biomass,the complexity and co-occurrence network tightness of the phoD-harboring bacterial community structure,and ACP and ALP activities,but it reduced soil BD.The rare genera of phoD-harboring bacteria significantly influenced the variation of soil P-cycle MFI compared to the dominant genera.This study highlights the importance of rare genera of phoD-harboring bacteria in driving soil P-cycle multifunctionality in karst ecosystems,with natural restoration being more effective than artificial methods for enhancing soil organic matter and microbial community complexity.
基金supported by National Institute on Aging(NIH-NIA)R01AG054459(to ALL).
文摘Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is the most common form of dementia,affecting over 50 million people worldwide.This figure is projected to nearly double every 20 years,reaching 82 million by 2030 and 152 million by 2050(Alzheimer’s Disease International).The apolipoproteinε4(APOE4)allele is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD(after age 65 years).Apolipoprotein E,a lipid transporter,exists in three variants:ε2,ε3,andε4.APOEε2(APOE2)is protective against AD,APOEε3(APOE3)is neutral,while APOE4 significantly increases the risk.Individuals with one copy of APOE4 have a 4-fold greater risk of developing AD,and those with two copies face an 8-fold risk compared to non-carriers.Even in cognitively normal individuals,APOE4 carriers exhibit brain metabolic and vascular deficits decades before amyloid-beta(Aβ)plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles emerge-the hallmark pathologies of AD(Reiman et al.,2001,2005;Thambisetty et al.,2010).Notably,studies have demonstrated reduced glucose uptake,or hypometabolism,in brain regions vulnerable to AD in asymptomatic middle-aged APOE4 carriers,long before clinical symptoms arise(Reiman et al.,2001,2005).
文摘The aging process is an inexorable fact throughout our lives and is considered a major factor in develo ping neurological dysfunctions associated with cognitive,emotional,and motor impairments.Aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the progressive loss of neuronal structure and function.
文摘Objective:To explore the application effect of digital intraoral scanning impression technique in oral implant restoration for periodontitis patients and analyze its impact on patients’Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)scores.Methods:A total of 80 periodontitis patients who received implant restoration in our hospital from May 2023 to May 2025 were selected as research subjects.They were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using a random number table method,with 40 cases in each group.The observation group used the digital intraoral scanning impression technique to obtain impressions,while the control group used the traditional silicone rubber impression technique.The impression-taking time,the number of prostheses try-ins,implant survival rate,periodontal health indicators(probing depth,gingival index,bleeding index),and VAS scores(pain during treatment and comfort after restoration)were compared between the two groups.Results:The observation group was superior to the control group in terms of impression-taking time,the number of prostheses try-ins,and implant survival rate(p<0.05).Six months after restoration,the improvement in periodontal health indicators in the observation group was significantly better than that in the control group(p<0.05).In addition,the pain VAS score of the observation group during treatment was lower than that of the control group,and the comfort VAS score after restoration was higher than that of the control group(p<0.05).Conclusion:Digital intraoral scanning impression technology can effectively enhance the efficiency and success rate of implant restoration in periodontitis patients,improve periodontal health,alleviate patients’discomfort during treatment,and increase post-restoration comfort,demonstrating high clinical application value.
基金This research was jointly supported by the project of the China Geological Survey(DD20242481)Key Laboratory of Airborne Geophysics and Remote Sensing Geology,MNR(2020YFL33)。
文摘Eco-geological vulnerability assessment is a significant research topic within the field of eco-geology,but it remains poorly studied.The Mu Us Sandy Land,located in the central part of the farming-pastoral ecotone in northern China,plays a critical role in maintaining the ecological security pattern in this region.However,this sandy land also faces severe sandy desertification and ecological degradation.This study conducted a regional eco-geological vulnerability assessment of the Mu Us Sandy Land using a comprehensive index evaluation method based on eco-geological theories and survey results.To construct an appropriate index system for the eco-geological vulnerability assessment of the Mu Us Sandy Land,the study considered the sandy land’s unique characteristics and identified 15 factors of five categories,namely geology,meteorology,soil,topography,and vegetation.The paper calculated the comprehensive weights of all the indices using the analytic hierarchy process(AHP)and the entropy weight method(EWM).Furthermore,it established the eco-geological vulnerability index(EGVI)and obtained the assessment results.The results showed that the eco-geological vulnerability of the Mu Us Sandy Land gradually intensifies from east to west,manifested as vulnerable eco-geological conditions overall.Specifically,extremely vulnerable zones are found in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the study area,highly vulnerable zones in the western and southern parts,moderately vulnerable zones in the central part,and slightly and potentially vulnerable zones in the eastern and southern parts.Areas with high spatial autocorrelations include the northern Uxin Banner-Otog Banner-Angsu Town area,the surrounding areas of Hongdunjie Town in the southeastern part of the study area,the Hongshiqiao Township-Xiaohaotu Township area,Otog Front Banner,and Bainijing Town,which should be prioritized in the ecological conservation and restoration.Additionally,the paper proposed suggestions for the ecological conservation and restoration of county-level administrative areas in the study area.Overall,the findings provide a valuable reference for the ecological conservation and restoration of the Mu Us Sandy Land and other desert areas in arid and semi-arid regions.
文摘Bangladesh is a deltaic country with a 710 km coastline and numerous newly accreted offshore islands in the central and eastern coastal regions. Natural mangrove forest (the Sundarbans) occupies about 100 km of coastline in the southwest, which protects the lives and properties of the coastal population of that area. The depletion of the forest stock of the Sundarbans was reported in 1875 due to the large-scale clearings by the woodcutters and uncertainty in natural regeneration. The restoration of the Sundarbans in the name of enrichment plantation and assisted natural regeneration was formally introduced in 1959 with Excoecaria agallocha followed by the introduction of mangrove and mainland (non-mangrove) species in the moderate to high saline zone and raised lands in the freshwater zone, respectively in 1975. Chakaria Sundarbans, the second largest natural mangrove forest on the east coast, was highly degraded with the rapid expansion of aquaculture between 1976 and 1989. Tremendous human interferences significantly altered the site condition, interrupting natural recovery. Coastal afforestation was initiated in 1966 with two pioneer mangrove species (Sonneratia apetala and Avicennia officinalis). Some afforested sites require attention for restoration due to natural and manmade causes. Bangladesh Forest Department adopted restoration activities with the technical support of the Bangladesh Forest Research Institute and other agencies. However, all the restoration activities for the Sundarbans, Chakaria Sundarbans, and coastal afforested sites had some success and failure stories. The success and failure of a mangrove restoration activity depends on planning (active or passive restoration), selection of suitable sites and species, planting materials, local community involvement, monitoring, evaluation and plantation management.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Project(Grants No.2022YFF1303204 and 2024YFF1307902)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42271099)。
文摘Ecological restorations(ERs)have been widely implemented in recent decades to enhance ecosystem stability.However,the extent of their impacts on ecosystem stability and the underlying mechanism remain poorly understood.This study developed a comprehensive framework for ecosystem stability assessment by integrating the temporal stability of ecosystem service(ES)provision,ecological resistance,and ecological resilience.Additionally,ER intensity was quantified using vegetation index trends,while the pathways and magnitudes of key factors driving ecosystem stability were identified by partial least squares structural equation modeling.Using the Jialing River Basin as a case study,our results revealed that forests exhibited the highest ecosystem stability due to their enhanced capacity to maintain temporal stability of ES provision and ecological resilience.However,farmlands demonstrated the strongest ecological resistance,followed by forests and grasslands.ER projects were primarily implemented in northern and southern farmland regions characterized by low ecological resilience.Pathway analysis identified that favorable climates significantly enhanced the temporal stability of ES provision,and rugged topography improved the ecological resistance.However,fragmented landscape patches disrupted stable ES provision by reducing ecological connectivity,and socioeconomic development diminished both resistance and resilience through land-use intensification.Notably,ERs improved ecological resilience,which in turn elevated overall ecosystem stability.Our results indicated that the proposed framework provides a systematic approach for comprehensive ecosystem stability evaluation and offers critical insights for developing region-specific ER strategies.
基金supported by the Double First-Class Innovation Research Project for People’s Public Security University of China(No.2023SYL07).
文摘Facial recognition systems have become increasingly significant in public security efforts. They play a crucial role in apprehending criminals and locating missing children and elderly individuals. Nevertheless, in practical applications, around 30% to 50% of images are obstructed to varied extents, for as by the presence of masks, glasses, or hats. Repairing the masked facial images will enhance face recognition accuracy by 10% to 20%. Simultaneously, market research indicates a rising demand for efficient facial recognition technology within the security and surveillance sectors, with projections suggesting that the global facial recognition market would exceed US$3 billion by 2025. Therefore, finding a prompt and efficient solution to fix the masked face and enhance its accuracy has become a pressing issue that has to be resolved. Currently, the generative adversarial network has shown excellent performance in the field of image restoration, with high precision and good quality of restoration results, but it consumes a lot of computing resources. Based on this, this paper proposes a model architecture that uses the U-Net network to replace the generator in the generative adversarial network, and replaces all traditional convolutional layers with Depthwise Separable Convolutional (DWSC) to make the entire network lightweight. Ultimately, We utilise the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) value to assess the efficacy of the developed model. We select samples with occlusion levels ranging from 10%–15% and 20%–30%, yielding PSNR values of 35.51 and 30.33, respectively. In contrast, the PSNR values of the three predominant algorithms in image restoration—PM, ShiftNet, and PICNet—are all below 30, demonstrating the superiority of the model presented in this paper. However, the model presented in this work possesses certain drawbacks. This work employs solely black rectangles to replicate real-life occlusions. Future study should utilise tangible objects, like as sunglasses and masks, to directly imitate occlusions, so enhancing the accuracy of the restoration effect. The model presented in this study can be further expanded from image restoration to video restoration to investigate the potential for dynamic occlusion repair.
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52268008)。
文摘This study focuses on urgent research on restoring and enhancing carbon storage capacity in the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomer-ation of China,a key area in the‘Belt and Road’Initiative,which aligns with carbon peaking and neutrality goals.This research ana-lyzes the spatial characteristics of carbon metabolism from 2000 to 2020 and uses models to identify stable carbon sink areas,positive carbon flow corridors,and carbon sequestration nodes.The goal is to construct a carbon metabolism spatial security pattern(CMSSP)and propose territorial ecological restoration strategies under different development demand scenarios.The results show the following:1)in 2020,the study area’s carbon sink decreased by 8.29×10^(4) t C/yr compared with that in 2010 and by 10.83×10^(4) t C/yr compared with that in 2000.High-carbon sinks were found mainly in mountainous areas,whereas low-carbon sinks are concentrated in urban con-struction land,rural residential areas,and land margins.2)From 2000 to 2020,the spatial security pattern of carbon metabolism tended to be‘high in the middle of the east and west and low in the gulf.’In 2000,2010,and 2020,16 stable carbon sinks were identified.The carbon energy flow density in Guangxi was greater than that in Guangdong and Hainan,with positive carbon flow corridors located primarily in Guangxi and Guangdong.The number of carbon sequestration nodes remained stable at approximately 15,mainly in Guangxi and Hainan.3)Scenario simulations revealed that under the Nature-based mild restoration scenario,the carbon sink rate will reach 611.85×10^(4) t C/yr by 2030 and increase to 612.45×10^(4) t C/yr by 2060,with stable carbon sinks increasing to 18.In the restora-tion scenario based on Anti-globalization,the carbon sink will decrease from 610.24×10^(4) t C/yr in 2030 to 605.19×10^(4) t C/yr in 2060,with the disappearance of some positive carbon flow corridors and stable carbon sinks.Under the Human-based sustainable restoration scenario,the carbon sink area will decrease from 607.00×10^(4) t C/yr in 2030 to 596.39×10^(4) t C/yr in 2060,with carbon sink areas frag-menting and positive carbon flow corridors becoming less dense.4)On the basis of the current and predicted CMSSPs,this study ex-plores spatial ecological restoration strategies for high-carbon storage areas in bay urban agglomerations at four levels:the land control region,urban agglomeration structure system,carbon sink structure and bay structure control region.
文摘The metabolite lactate (L-lactate) can be generated and released by diverse brain cells,including neurons,astrocytes,and oligodendrocytes (Kann,2023;Rae et al.,2024).Lactate production usually requires the degradation of glucose (D-glucose)-and glycogen in astrocytes-to pyruvate by glycolysis and subsequent conversion of pyruvate to lactate by the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase(Figure 1A;Dienel,2019;Rae et al.,2024).
文摘Spinal cord injury results in paralysis, sensory disturbances, sphincter dysfunction, and multiple systemic secondary conditions, most arising from autonomic dysregulation. All this produces profound negative psychosocial implications for affected people, their families, and their communities;the financial costs can be challenging for their families and health institutions. Treatments aimed at restoring the spinal cord after spinal cord injury, which have been tested in animal models or clinical trials, generally seek to counteract one or more of the secondary mechanisms of injury to limit the extent of the initial damage. Most published works on structural/functional restoration in acute and chronic spinal cord injury stages use a single type of treatment: a drug or trophic factor, transplant of a cell type, and implantation of a biomaterial. Despite the significant benefits reported in animal models, when translating these successful therapeutic strategies to humans, the result in clinical trials has been considered of little relevance because the improvement, when present, is usually insufficient. Until now, most studies designed to promote neuroprotection or regeneration at different stages after spinal cord injury have used single treatments. Considering the occurrence of various secondary mechanisms of injury in the acute and sub-acute phases of spinal cord injury, it is reasonable to speculate that more than one therapeutic agent could be required to promote structural and functional restoration of the damaged spinal cord. Treatments that combine several therapeutic agents, targeting different mechanisms of injury, which, when used as a single therapy, have shown some benefits, allow us to assume that they will have synergistic beneficial effects. Thus, this narrative review article aims to summarize current trends in the use of strategies that combine therapeutic agents administered simultaneously or sequentially, seeking structural and functional restoration of the injured spinal cord.
文摘To scientifically evaluate the restoration performance of ancient city walls,Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy(THz-TDS)and infrared thermal imaging technology were applied to assess the Desheng Fortress(Ming Dynasty).Three representative sections were examined:adobe brick masonry repaired(Area 1),well-preserved original(Area 2),and layer-by-layer ramming repaired(Area 3).THz spectral data revealed significant differences between Area 1(time delay:3.72 ps;refractive index:2.224)and Area 2(time delay:3.02 ps;refractive index:2.107),while Area 3(time delay:3.12 ps;refractive index:2.098)demonstrated nearly identical THz spectral data to Area 2.Infrared thermal imaging also showed that the Area 3 restored by layer-by-layer ramming exhibited greater uniformity with fewer instances of cracks,capillary phenomena,or biological diseases.The proposed point-surface integrated evaluation methodology synergistically combines infrared thermography mapping of heritage surfaces with THz spectral datasets acquired through in-situ micro-sampling,enabling quantitative restoration assessment and providing a novel approach for scientifically validating traditional conservation techniques.
基金supported by the Institute of Information&Communications Technology Planning&Evaluation(IITP)grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT)[RS-2021-II211341,Artificial Intelligence Graduate School Program(Chung-Ang University)]by the Chung-Ang University Graduate Research Scholarship in 2024.
文摘Restoring texts corrupted by visually perturbed homoglyph characters presents significant challenges to conventional Natural Language Processing(NLP)systems,primarily due to ambiguities arising from characters that appear visually similar yet differ semantically.Traditional text restoration methods struggle with these homoglyph perturbations due to limitations such as a lack of contextual understanding and difficulty in handling cases where one character maps to multiple candidates.To address these issues,we propose an Optical Character Recognition(OCR)-assisted masked Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers(BERT)model specifically designed for homoglyph-perturbed text restoration.Our method integrates OCR preprocessing with a character-level BERT architecture,where OCR preprocessing transforms visually perturbed characters into their approximate alphabetic equivalents,significantly reducing multi-correspondence ambiguities.Subsequently,the character-level BERT leverages bidirectional contextual information to accurately resolve remaining ambiguities by predicting intended characters based on surrounding semantic cues.Extensive experiments conducted on realistic phishing email datasets demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms existing restoration techniques,including OCR-based,dictionarybased,and traditional BERT-based approaches,achieving a word-level restoration accuracy of up to 99.59%in fine-tuned settings.Additionally,our approach exhibits robust performance in zero-shot scenarios and maintains effectiveness under low-resource conditions.Further evaluations across multiple downstream tasks,such as part-ofspeech tagging,chunking,toxic comment classification,and homoglyph detection under conditions of severe visual perturbation(up to 40%),confirm the method’s generalizability and applicability.Our proposed hybrid approach,combining OCR preprocessing with character-level contextual modeling,represents a scalable and practical solution for mitigating visually adversarial text attacks,thereby enhancing the security and reliability of NLP systems in real-world applications.
文摘There is evidence that the development of plant communities determines the composition and structure of the orthoptera assemblages. This is the reason for using the orthoptera biodiversity as an indicator of environmental recovery processes in revegetated areas. This research is a part of the monitoring actions included in the Breña’s Compensation Project, linked to the construction of the Breña II damp. It is aimed to assess the biodiversity of the Orthopteran assemblages settled in the restored river copses after nine years following (2007-2016). The results will be interpreted as an indirect measure of the success of the environmental improvement performed. In 2016, two forest farms named “Las Mesas” and “Cerro del Trigo” located in the Sierra de Hornachuelos Natural Park (Córdoba, Southern Iberian Peninsula) were selected for monitoring. These sampling sites were also selected in a previous following phase, which makes comparisons easier and more reliable. At each of these sampling sites, two revegetated enclosures corresponding to the environmental model “restored river copses” and their respective control areas were selected for the study. From the values of the specimen’s number recorded in each sampling plot, the same population indices that in the previous phase (Richness, Abundance, Dominance, Shannon Diversity, and Evenness) were calculated. The diversity profiles using Rényi’s family of uni-parametric diversity indices were also obtained. Differences in the indices were statistically tested by resampling bootstrapping for inferential statistics. Based on our results, the environmental differences between revegetated and control areas have not led to significant changes in the composition and structure of the orthopteran communities they host. In consequence, the environmental restoration carried out in the study area has not been as successful as could be expected and the previous environmental alterations have not been minimized nor have those derived from the environmental rehabilitation itself been compensated.
基金supported by R01EY032229(Biomechanical Mapping of the Optic Nerve Head and Peripapillary Sclera Using High Frequency Ultrasonic Elastography)R01EY028662(High-resolution Elastographic Assessment of the Optic Nerve Head)+2 种基金R01EY030126(Non-invasive Ultrasound Stimulated Retinal Prosthesis)(to QZ)Unrestricted Grant to the Department of Ophthalmology from Research to Prevent Blindness,New York,NY(to MSH)the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P30EY029220(to MSH)。
文摘Vision restoration presents a considerable challenge in the realm of regenerative medicine,while recent progress in ultrasound stimulation has displayed potential as a non-invasive therapeutic approach.This narrative review offers a comprehensive overview of current research on ultrasound-stimulated neuromodulation,emphasizing its potential as a treatment modality for various nerve injuries.By examining of the efficacy of different types of ultrasound stimulation in modulating peripheral and optic nerves,we can delve into their underlying molecular mechanisms.Furthermore,the review underscores the potential of sonogenetics in vision restoration,which involves leveraging pharmacological and genetic manipulations to inhibit or enhance the expression of related mechanosensitive channels,thereby modulating the strength of the ultrasound response.We also address how methods such as viral transcription can be utilized to render specific neurons or organs highly responsive to ultrasound,leading to significantly improved therapeutic outcomes.
文摘As interest in tropical forest restoration accelerates,understanding its hydrological implications is increasingly urgent.While concerns persist that reforestation will reduce annual water yields—particularly in drier climates—we highlight conditions under which forest landscape restoration(FLR)can improve seasonal water availability,especially during the dry season.We examine the trade-off between increased vegetation water use(“pumping”)and enhanced infiltration and subsurface retention(“sponging”)following forestation of degraded lands,the recovery of vegetation's ability to capture“occult”precipitation(fog)in specific coastal and montane settings,and the role of forest cover in enhancing moisture recycling and transport at multiple scales.A pan-tropical sensitivity analysis shows that in degraded landscapes with deep soils and pronounced rainfall seasonality,infiltration gains following forestation can offset or exceed evaporative losses,thereby supporting groundwater recharge and increasing dry-season flows in approximately 10%of cases,with an additional 8%showing near-neutral(slightly negative)outcomes.These findings challenge the assumption that forestation uniformly reduces water availability and underscore the need to prioritize dry-season flow recovery—rather than annual water yield—as a central hydrological goal of FLR.We call for trans-disciplinary research and long-term monitoring to inform forest restoration strategies,particularly in seasonally dry regions where water scarcity is most acute.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.42325101,42401060,42301052)the Science and Technology Development Plan Project of Jilin Province,China(Grant No.20250601010RC)+3 种基金the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF(Grant No.GZB20230127)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.2412024QD025)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2024M760407)the Youth Growth Science and Technology Program of Jilin Province(Grant No.20230508119RC).
文摘Although Vegetation Restoration Programs(VRPs)on the Loess Plateau,China,have significantly improved the region’s ecological condition,their impact on the local economy and agriculture remain unclear.Here we used the difference-in-differences analysis to quantify the effects of the VRPs on population,economic,and agricultural aspects.Results suggest that the implementation of the VRPs increased mean county-based Gross Domestic Product by 148%and per capita grain production by 30%,but decreased rural labor resources by 11%.VRPs promoted the transfer of population to the secondary industry and increased the income of local farmers.We predict that grain production will likely start to decline when the restoration area exceeds approximately 55%of the total county area in the future.Our study suggests that while VRPs on the Loess Plateau are economically sustainable,their expansion beyond a certain threshold could jeopardize agriculture.
基金financially supported by a grant from the Forest Fund of the Polish State Forests(Grant No.EZ.0290.1.16.2021).
文摘We tested the effectiveness of the gradual removal of Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.)in former plantations of this species in Roztocze National Park(SE Poland)to support the restoration of natural herbaceous flora and forest structure.We compared 0.5-ha study plots subjected to selective removal of pine trees with control plots excluded from any kind of human intervention for half a century.The observed changes in forest floor vegetation in the converted plots showed naturalization towards habitat-specific species.However,differences in the spatial distribution of trees between the treatment and control plots showed no universal pattern and revealed subtle but positive shifts from regular to random or clustered patterns.The mean tree diameters were higher in plots subjected to Scots pine removal,which resulted from the vigorous growth of tree species,consistent with habitat types.We conclude that forest restoration through the removal of planted trees can support the naturalization of former Scots pine plantations in protected areas.However,the selection of an appropriate method and its intensity are of vital importance.Methods that resemble typical management practices,such as selection thinning,are not always the best approach,as they may preserve or even increase the regular distribution of trees.Therefore,for restoration purposes,we recommend testing other methods that increase spatial heterogeneity,including systematic cutting or emulating natural disturbances.In addition,low-intensity thinning may not be sufficient to support the restoration of natural forest floor vegetation and the variability in forest stand structure.
基金funded by the National Overseas High-level Talent Program China(Grants No.41180953 and 41180944)Guangdong Provincial Special Research Grant for the Creation of National Parks(Grant No.2021GJGY034).
文摘China has executed large-scale ecological restoration projects(ERPs)to meet the goals of environmental pro-tection and economic development.Yet,the integrated outcomes of these projects on the biodiversity-eco-environment-society dimensions remain unclear,but when available could be insightful for adaptation and ad-justments,particularly in this United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration(2021-2030).Based on multi-source data,we identified the categories and quantities of large-scale ERP implementation in the county-level.By comparing the time-series multiple factors of implemented vs unimplemented counties,we quantify the con-tributions and compare the relative effects of up to six different ERPs.Combining random forest,spatial autocor-relation,and network analysis,we explore the key factors that affect the contributions of ERPs.Here,we show that the triple dimensions in the low ERP group(regions implementing 0-2 projects)produced better outcomes than the high ERP group(regions implementing 3-5 projects)in relatively developed regions,while the high ERP group has more gains than the low ERP group in relatively less-developed regions.Notably,regional character-istics and different social assets mediate the ERP contributions,while human capital and financial capital have important roles.Overall,the ERPs generated positive contributions and could increase the network stability of multi-dimensions in relatively less-developed regions,but it may lead to imbalances in some factors(i.e.,mam-mal species conservation,and human capital).To continue to minimize the negative effects from past,and to improve the returns of ERP policy and investments,more timely and adaptive management of ERPs are needed,especially in relatively less-developed regions.
